Lt. Governor candidate Dan Patrick speaks with members of the media at his election watch party. ( James Nielsen / Houston Chronicle )

Photo By Johnny Hanson/Houston Chronicle

With his wife, Celeste, and their daughter, Isabella, 3, Harris County Republican Party Chairman Jared Woodfill watches election numbers at his election watch party at the Grotto Ristorante Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Houston. Woodfill was running for the seat against Paul Simpson and Wendy McPherson Berry.
"Looks like we are going to have a runoff, but we'll see," Woodfill said. ( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle )

Photo By Johnny Hanson/Houston Chronicle

Harris County Republican Party Chairman Jared Woodfill, left, shares a laugh with Mark Lipkin, center, at Woodfill's election watch party at the Grotto Ristorante Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Houston. Woodfill was running for the seat against Paul Simpson and Wendy McPherson Berry. "Looks like we are going to have a runoff, but we'll see," Woodfill said. ( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle )

Photo By Johnny Hanson/Houston Chronicle

Harris County Republican Party Chairman Jared Woodfill, looks at voting numbers during his election watch party at the Grotto Ristorante Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Houston. Woodfill was running for the seat against Paul Simpson and Wendy McPherson Berry. "Looks like we are going to have a runoff, but we'll see," Woodfill said. ( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle )

Photo By Johnny Hanson/Houston Chronicle

Harris County Republican Party Chairman Jared Woodfill, looks at voting numbers during his election watch party at the Grotto Ristorante Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Houston. Woodfill was running for the seat against Paul Simpson and Wendy McPherson Berry. "Looks like we are going to have a runoff, but we'll see," Woodfill said. ( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle )

Photo By Johnny Hanson/Houston Chronicle

Harris County Republican Party Chairman Jared Woodfill, left, looks at voting numbers during his election watch party at the Grotto Ristorante Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Houston. Woodfill was running for the seat against Paul Simpson and Wendy McPherson Berry. "Looks like we are going to have a runoff, but we'll see," Woodfill said. ( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle )

Photo By Johnny Hanson/Houston Chronicle

Harris County Republican Party Chairman Jared Woodfill, right, looks at voting numbers during his election watch party at the Grotto Ristorante Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Houston. Woodfill was running for the seat against Paul Simpson and Wendy McPherson Berry. "Looks like we are going to have a runoff, but we'll see," Woodfill said. ( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle )

Photo By Johnny Hanson/Houston Chronicle

Harris County Republican Party Chairman Jared Woodfill, right, looks at voting numbers during his election watch party at the Grotto Ristorante Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Houston. Woodfill was running for the seat against Paul Simpson and Wendy McPherson Berry. "Looks like we are going to have a runoff, but we'll see," Woodfill said. ( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle )

Photo By Johnny Hanson/Houston Chronicle

Harris County Republican Party Chairman Jared Woodfill, right, looks at voting numbers during his election watch party at the Grotto Ristorante Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Houston. Woodfill was running for the seat against Paul Simpson and Wendy McPherson Berry. "Looks like we are going to have a runoff, but we'll see," Woodfill said. ( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle )

Photo By Johnny Hanson/Houston Chronicle

Next to Mark Lipkin, left, John Griffing, and Jonathan Nessmith, center right, Harris County Republican Party Chairman Jared Woodfill, right, looks at voting numbers during his election watch party at the Grotto Ristorante Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Houston. Woodfill was running for the seat against Paul Simpson and Wendy McPherson Berry. "Looks like we are going to have a runoff, but we'll see," Woodfill said. ( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle )

Photo By Johnny Hanson/Houston Chronicle

Next to Mark Lipkin, left, John Griffing, and Jonathan Nessmith, center right, Harris County Republican Party Chairman Jared Woodfill, right, looks at voting numbers during his election watch party at the Grotto Ristorante Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Houston. Woodfill was running for the seat against Paul Simpson and Wendy McPherson Berry. "Looks like we are going to have a runoff, but we'll see," Woodfill said. ( Johnny Hanson / Houston Chronicle )

Photo By Smiley N. Pool/Houston Chronicle

Texas lieutenant governor candidate Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst waves to supporters as he arrives for an election night party at his Houston campaign headquarters on Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Houston. Dewhurst faces three Republican challengers for re-election in the primary. ( Smiley N. Pool / Houston Chronicle )

Photo By Smiley N. Pool/Houston Chronicle

Texas lieutenant governor candidate Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst waves to supporters as he arrives for an election night party at his Houston campaign headquarters on Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Houston. Dewhurst faces three Republican challengers for re-election in the primary. ( Smiley N. Pool / Houston Chronicle )

Texas lieutenant governor candidate Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst waves to supporters during an election night party at his Houston campaign headquarters on Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Houston. Dewhurst faces three Republican challengers for re-election in the primary. ( Smiley N. Pool / Houston Chronicle )

Photo By Smiley N. Pool/Houston Chronicle

Texas lieutenant governor candidate Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst waves to supporters during an election night party at his Houston campaign headquarters on Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Houston. Dewhurst faces three Republican challengers for re-election in the primary. ( Smiley N. Pool / Houston Chronicle )

Photo By Smiley N. Pool/Houston Chronicle

Texas lieutenant governor candidate Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst gives his daughter Carolyn a hand so she can address supporters during an election night party at his Houston campaign headquarters on Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Houston. Dewhurst faces three Republican challengers for re-election in the primary. ( Smiley N. Pool / Houston Chronicle )

Weather creates a bleak scene as polls open for voting in the primaries at the multipurpose center on Gray, March 4, 2014. (Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle)

Weather creates a bleak scene as polls open for voting in the primaries at the multipurpose center on Gray, March 4, 2014. (Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle)

Weather creates a bleak scene as polls open for voting in the primaries at the multipurpose center on Gray, March 4, 2014. (Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle)

Weather creates a bleak scene as polls open for voting in the primaries at the multipurpose center on Gray, March 4, 2014. (Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle)

Political signs are reflected in water puddle outside the polling place held at the Friendship Center Community Center, 2235 Lake Robbins Drive, Tuesday, March 4, 2014 in The Woodlands. (Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle)

Photo By Richard Carson/Associated Press

Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst talks to supporters and the media after a runoff was predicted against Republican primary challenger Dan Patrick in Houston, Tuesday, March 4, 2014. (AP Photo/Richard Carson)

AUSTIN, TX - MARCH 4: Republican candidate for governor, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott is accompanied by his wife Cecilia, left, and daughter Audrey as he arrives to vote in the Texas primary at Western Hills Church of Christ on March 4, 2014 in Austin, Texas. Abbott is planning to make stops in Houston and Dallas for get out-the-vote rallies ahead of the elections. (Photo by Erich Schlegel/Getty Images)

Photo By Erich Schlegel/Getty Images

AUSTIN, TX - MARCH 4: Republican candidate for governor, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott speaks to the press after voting in the Texas primary at Western Hills Church of Christ on March 4, 2014 in Austin, Texas. Abbott is planning to make stops in Houston and Dallas for get out-the-vote rallies ahead of the elections. (Photo by Erich Schlegel/Getty Images)

Photo By Erich Schlegel/Getty Images

AUSTIN, TX - MARCH 4: Republican candidate for governor, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott speaks to the press after voting in the Texas primary at Western Hills Church of Christ on March 4, 2014 in Austin, Texas. Abbott is planning to make stops in Houston and Dallas for get out-the-vote rallies ahead of the elections. (Photo by Erich Schlegel/Getty Images)

Photo By Jason Fochtman/Associated Press

A political supporter adjusts a campaign sign in front of the Shenandoah Municipal Complex Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Shenandoah. Texas. A blast of winter weather hit the region Monday sending windchill temperatures into the 20s and leaving residents with icy conditions on the road for Texas' primary elections on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Conroe Courier, Jason Fochtman)

Photo By Jason Fochtman/Associated Press

Kevin Ray holds a campaign sign in front of the Shenandoah Municipal Complex Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Shenandoah. Texas. A blast of winter weather hit the region Monday sending windchill temperatures into the 20s and leaving residents with icy conditions on the road for Texas' primary elections on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Conroe Courier, Jason Fochtman)

Photo By LM Otero/Associated Press

Texas Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, visits with volunteers manning a call center at her campaign headquarters, Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Fort Worth, Texas. Texas is holding the nation's first primary election Tuesday with a political free-for-all in Republican races that could push the state further right, though Democrats are calling it the next big electoral battleground with Davis running for governor. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Photo By LM Otero/Associated Press

Texas Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, left, speaks on a phone given to her by volunteer Daniel O'Leary, right, during a visit to her campaign headquarters, Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Fort Worth, Texas. Texas is holding the nation's first primary election Tuesday with a political free-for-all in Republican races that could push the state further right, though Democrats are calling it the next big electoral battleground with Davis running for governor. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Photo By Joyce Marshall/Associated Press

Voters including Tim Foreman turned out to vote in the primary election Tuesday, March 4, 2014, at North High Mount Elementary School in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Joyce Marshall)

Photo By Joyce Marshall/Associated Press

George P. Bush, with his wife Amanda and son Prescott, prepares to vote in the primary election Tuesday, March 4, 2014, at North High Mount Elementary School in Fort Worth, Texas. The 37-year-old nephew of former President George W. Bush, and son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, is running for land commissioner in the state. (AP Photo/The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Joyce Marshall)

Photo By LM Otero/Associated Press

Texas Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, left, makes a phone call to a potential voter during a visit to her campaign headquarters Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Fort Worth, Texas. Texas is holding the nation's first primary election Tuesday with a political free-for-all in Republican races that could push the state further right, though Democrats are calling it the next big electoral battleground with Davis running for governor. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

Photo By Joyce Marshall/Associated Press

George P. Bush, his wife Amanda with son Prescott, prepare to vote in the primary election Tuesday, March 4, 2014, at North High Mount Elementary School in Fort Worth, Texas. The 37-year-old nephew of former President George W. Bush, and son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, is running for land commissioner in the state. (AP Photo/The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Joyce Marshall)

Photo By John Davenport/Associated Press

Marcus Booth, left, and Enrique Serrano prepare signs at the Brook Hollow Branch of the San Antonio Public Library on election day, Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in San Antonio, Texas. Texas is holding the nation's first primary election Tuesday with a political free-for-all in Republican races that could push the state further right, though Democrats are calling it the next big battleground on the electoral map. (AP Photo/The San Antonio Express-News, John Davenport)

Photo By Joyce Marshall/Associated Press

Voters prepare to vote in the primary election Tuesday, March 4, 2014, at North High Mount Elementary School in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Joyce Marshall)

Photo By Joyce Marshall/Associated Press

George P. Bush, holding his with son Prescott, turned out to vote in the primary election Tuesday, March 4, 2014, at North High Mount Elementary School in Fort Worth, Texas. The 37-year-old nephew of former President George W. Bush, and son of former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, is running for land commissioner in the state. (AP Photo/The Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Joyce Marshall)

Photo By Cody Duty/MBI

Rain falls as a voter makes his way from the Metropolitan Multi-Services Center as the doors open to voters, Tuesday, March 4, 2014, in Houston. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Cody Duty)

Photo By Melissa Phillip/Staff

Icicles hang from a political sign as people arrive and leave from the polling place held at the Friendship Center Community Center, 2235 Lake Robbins Drive, Tuesday, March 4, 2014 in The Woodlands. ( Melissa Phillip / Houston Chronicle )

In complete statewide returns, Patrick claimed 42 percent of the votes; Dewhurst, 28 percent. Patrick breezed to a large lead over Dewhurst in several of the most populous counties in the state, including Harris, Bexar and Tarrant.

Patrick also held early voting leads in Lubbock, Montgomery and Brazoria counties, state data show.

"We like our chances," Patrick told reporters at a Greenway Plaza hotel. "It's clear the voters of Texas want a new leader."

"We wish Senator Cornyn best of luck in November and urge everyone to vote for, volunteer for and support the whole Texas GOP ticket," the Stockman campaign tweeted shortly after 8 p.m.

David M. Alameel led Kesha Rogers 47 percent to 22 percent and will face her in the Democratic state Senate runoff.

In the Democrats' race to run for Texas agriculture commissioner, lightly funded Jim Hogan will be in a primary runoff with musician and marijuana-legalization proponent Kinky Friedman. Hogan claimed 39 percent of the vote; Friedman, 38 percent. Hugh Asa Fitzsimons III lost.

George P. Bush, the grandson of one president and nephew of another, was victorious in the Republican primary race to replace Patterson as Texas land commissioner with 73 percent of the vote. He will face Democrat John Cook, a former El Paso mayor, in November.

Locally, a well-funded challenger to the longtime chairman of the Harris County Republican Party avoided a runoff in what was a remarkably divisive and high-profile race to head the largest county GOP in the nation.

Engineer-turned-lawyer Paul Simpson, who out-raised Party Chairman Jared Woodfill by a nearly 5-to-1 margin and spent nearly twice as much in his third run for the unpaid position, defeated the 12-year incumbent with 53 percent of the vote. Woodfill claimed 37 percent.

Simpson accrued endorsements and donations from heavyweights like Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, who fear the local GOP is losing its decades-long stronghold and criticized Woodfill for his management style and overemphasis on contentious social issues they think will alienate young people and other key voting blocks.

Paul Bettencourt, the former Harris County tax assessor-collector, won the Republican primary for the seat being vacated by Patrick with 89 percent of the vote.

Incumbent Democrat John Whitmire won his primary race with 75 percent of the vote.

Incumbent Republican Joan Huffman won her primary race with 81 percent of the vote.

The race to replace Gov. Rick Perry, who is not seeking re-election after 14 years in office, may have topped the list of today's contests, but the next slot down the ballot generated the most pre-vote interest.

While Republican Attorney General Greg Abbott and Democratic state Sen. Wendy Davis of Fort Worth long ago seemed certain to represent their respective parties in November's gubernatorial match, four Republicans waged a spirited campaign for lieutenant governor.

Patterson said he was not sure how involved he would be in a Dewhurst-Patrick runoff.

"I'm not sure if I am going to endorse David Dewhurst, but I cannot campaign and vote for a liar," he said, referring to Patrick. Patterson has been furious with Patrick for misleading voters on the immigration stances of his opponents.

The close Republican race to succeed Abbott as attorney general is headed to a runoff between state Sen. Ken Paxton of McKinney, who claimed 44 percent of the vote, and Rep. Dan Branch of Dallas, who claimed 34 percent. The winner will face Democrat Sam Houston.

The May runoff will be another statewide race that tests tea party might: Branch is considered the establishment candidate, though he is a more conservative member of Texas House Speaker Joe Straus' inner circle. Paxton is a hard-right Republican who unsuccessfully ran for Straus' position in 2011.

In the race for the Republican nomination for the U.S. congressional seat being vacated by Stockman, former Woodville mayor Brian Babin is headed to a runoff with tea party favorite Ben Streusand, former chairman of Americans for Prosperity Texas and the candidate with largest treasury. Babin claimed 33 percent of the vote; Streusand, 23 percent. The two led 10 other candidates.

U.S. Rep. Kevin Brady of The Woodlands won his Republican primary race for re-election with 68 percent of the vote..

In several races specific to Harris County:

Kim Ogg, former head of Crime Stoppers of Houston, defeated perennial candidate Lloyd Oliver in the Democratic race for Harris County district attorney, claiming 72 percent of the vote. Ogg will face incumbent Devon Anderson, 48, a Republican who is unopposed.

Anderson was appointed in September to fill her husband's unexpired term after he died unexpectedly from cancer. Because Mike Anderson died taken just eight months before his death, the post is on the ballot and will be up again for election in 2016.

District Clerk Chris Daniel held off challenger Court Koenning in one of the few contested primary races among Harris County Republicans.

With all precincts reporting, Daniel claimed 69 percent of the vote. Daniel, who is seeking a second term, will face lawyer Judith Snively on the November ballot. She ran unopposed for the Democratic Party's nomination.

"I'm proud of the fact that we ran a clean campaign and that we can now work together to keep this a Republican office in November," Daniel said of Koenning.

In District 132, attorney Mike Schofield, who served under Perry as a policy adviser, led three Republican candidates and will meet Ann Hodge in a runoff to compete for the seat left by Bill Callegari, a Katy Republican who represented the district since 2000. Schofield claimed 45 percent of the vote; Hodge, 20.

In District 134, Rep. Sarah Davis, a Republican who defied her party on abortion, handily won her primary with 71 percent of the vote. She defeated challenger Bonnie Parker and will face Democrat Alison Ruff in November.

Parker previously campaigned for Davis, but sought to unseat her after Davis voted against a sweeping package of abortion restrictions in the last session of the Texas Legislature.

"We definitely heard some people were unhappy with it," Davis said. "It was obviously the basis of why Bonnie Parker ran against me. But overall, I think my perspective on the issue and the way I voted is what the majority of my constitutes agree with me on."

"We are very proud of the numbers," Alvarado said from her victory party at El Tiempo restaurant on Navigation. "They emphasized the strong connection we have with our constituents in District 145. We tried to be active, visible and accessible year round and the numbers proved that."

She said she is ready for the November general election.

"If we keep doing what we are doing, I think it will lead us to another landslide."

Alvarado, a former Houston City councilwoman, last year lost to Sylvia Garcia in a bid to fill Mario Gallegos' state Senate post.

In District 149, former Houston City Councilman Al Hoang defeated Nghi T. Ho in a Republican contest in southwest Houston to take on state Rep. Hubert Vo, a Democrat. Hoang received 57 percent of the vote.

Hoang narrowly lost his bid to be re-elected as a councilman last November, and made a surprise move by seeking the state representative post.

Ho has served as an Alief school district trustee, a financial planner, and former Navy officer.

"It is a pretty strong showing, so I am very grateful," Riddle said of the vote.

And in Harris County judicial races:

Democratic candidate Steven Kirkland defeated Lori Gray in a tight race for the 113th civil district court judgeship nomination, claiming 52 percent of the vote. Their race was tense with attack ads that prompted Mayor Annise Parker to come to Kirkland's defense. Kirkland will face incumbent Republican Judge Michael Landrum, who is unopposed.

Embattled incumbent Family Court Judge Denise Pratt will face a runoff with Republican challenger Alicia Franklin for the nomination in the 311th state District Court race. Pratt received 30 percent of the vote; Franklin, 23 percent. Democrat Sherri Cothrun is unopposed.

Pratt, on the job four years, has drawn criticism in recent months concerning mass dismissals of cases and backdated records in her court but avoided indictment from a Harris County grand jury in December. The freshman judge has denied wrongdoing.

In another contested family court race in the Republican primary, Associate Judge Meca "M.L." Walker and businessman-turned-attorney John Schmude will compete in a runoff for the 247th District Court to replace retiring Judge Bonnie Crane Hellums. Walker made headlines after being forced to return donations that violated state contribution limits during the campaign.

Schmude received 37 percent of the vote; Walker 34 percent.

Rainy and ice-pelleted conditions apparently kept many local voters indoors Tuesday. The Harris County Clerk's Office reported that turnout was "depressed" due to the wet and cold.

County Clerk Stan Stanart had already edged away from projections that as many as 110,000 Republicans and 70,000 Democrats might cast ballots. Spokesman Hector DeLeon said those earlier estimates had not taken inclement weather into account. He said there were no reports of unusual problems.